Child Welfare

Infants and toddlers are extremely vulnerable to the effects of maltreatment and multiple foster care placements.

Intervention in the first three years can make a world of difference in the lives of these children. We encourage policymakers to act now to ensure that infants and toddlers in foster care get the best possible start in life.

This 3 minute video demonstrates how much a baby’s well-being relies on responsive caregiving from parents. Dr. Ed Tronick developed the “Still Face Experiment” to demonstrate how important the connection between an infant and his or her closest caregiver is. In two minutes, this 7 month old girl experiences escalating levels of distress when her mother fails to respond to her. Imagine how that translates into a childhood of unresponsive or frightening caregiving.

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